Following the death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, fans across the globe, including many in the North East, are looking to honour her legacy by supporting the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The book gifting programme has distributed more than 300 million books to children worldwide.
In the UK, 7.7 million books have been gifted to children aged five and under since the programme began in 2008, with more than 85,000 delivered every month, according to the Dollywood Foundation. Thousands of free books have also been given out to children across Newcastle.
Donations in Lieu of Flowers
Dolly's family has requested that donations be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library instead of flowers. Newcastle City Council has outlined exactly how to do this. In a Facebook post, the authority said it had received many calls asking how to support the programme in Newcastle.
The council's message included a quote from Dolly: "Every book is a treasure and every time you open one up, you will meet new friends and take wonderful journeys to magical places."
Newcastle's Programme Impact
Newcastle City Council has funded the city's programme for two years, with over 3,000 babies signed up to receive free books every month until they turn five. Over 15,700 books have been sent out so far, and more children are being signed up daily.
The council added: "Dolly Parton wanted young children to develop a love of reading that would bring them joy, education and spark their imagination. We do too. With your help, we hope to keep offering free books and helping to give every child the best start in life."
How to Make a Donation in Newcastle
To donate, visit the Dolly Parton Imagination Library website and follow these steps: set the currency to GBP, tick the box to designate the donation to a specific local programme partner, choose "NUT – Newcastle Imagination Library," and if you are a UK taxpayer, tick the Gift Aid box so more money goes towards supporting children to read.
Coun Wendy Taylor, the council's cabinet member for integrated health and adult social care, said: "We are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Dolly Parton. Dolly was an inspiration and a rare unifier in an increasingly polarised world, changing countless lives for the better. Here in Newcastle, through our work with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, thousands of children have received free books. Not only has that helped our ambition to give every child the best start but its positive impact on family literacy will be a legacy that will be felt for generations to come. Though we grieve her loss with the rest of the world that work will continue, and we hope that Dolly will continue to inspire a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere."
The Department for Education also commented on the programme: "Dolly's Imagination Library has put millions of books into children's hands and sparked a lifelong love of reading among young people around the globe. An absolute icon, she will be missed but her legacy lives on." Newcastle City Council ended its message by saying: "A massive thank you to everyone who donates, we really appreciate your support."
